[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 47, Volume 3]
[Revised as of October 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 47CFR68.213]

[Page 365-366]
 
                       TITLE 47--TELECOMMUNICATION
 
        CHAPTER I--FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED)
 
PART 68_CONNECTION OF TERMINAL EQUIPMENT TO THE TELEPHONE NETWORK
--Table of Contents
 
            Subpart C_Terminal Equipment Approval Procedures
 
Sec.  68.213  Installation of other than ``fully protected'' non-system 
simple customer premises wiring.

    (a) Scope of this rule. Provisions of this rule apply only to 
``unprotected'' premises wiring used with simple installations of wiring 
for up to four line residential and business telephone service. More 
complex installations of wiring for multiple line services, for use with 
systems such as PBX and key telephone systems, are controlled by Sec.  
68.215 of these rules.
    (b) Wiring authorized. Unprotected premises wiring may be used to 
connect units of terminal equipment or

[[Page 366]]

protective circuitry to one another, and to carrier-installed facilities 
if installed in accordance with these rules. The provider of wireline 
telecommunications is not responsible, except pursuant to agreement 
between it and the customer or undertakings by it, otherwise consistent 
with Commission requirements, for installation and maintenance of wiring 
on the subscriber's side of the demarcation point, including any wire or 
jacks that may have been installed by the carrier. The subscriber and/or 
premises owner may install wiring on the subscriber's side of the 
demarcation point, and may remove, reconfigure, and rearrange wiring on 
that side of the demarcation point including wiring and wiring that may 
have been installed by the carrier. The customer or premises owner may 
not access carrier wiring and facilities on the carrier's side of the 
demarcation point. Customers may not access the protector installed by 
the provider of wireline telecommunications. All plugs and jacks used in 
connection with inside wiring shall conform to the published technical 
criteria of the Administrative Council for Terminal Attachments. In 
multiunit premises with more than one customer, the premises owner may 
adopt a policy restricting a customer's access to wiring on the premises 
to only that wiring located in the customer's individual unit wiring 
that serves only that particular customer. See Sec.  68.105 in this 
part. The customer or premises owner may not access carrier wiring and 
facilities on the carrier's side of the demarcation point. Customers may 
not access the protector installed by the provider of wireline 
telecommunications. All plugs and jacks used in connection with inside 
wiring shall conform to the published technical criteria of the 
Administrative Council for Terminal Attachments.
    (c) Material requirements. (1) For new installations and 
modifications to existing installations, copper conductors shall be, at 
a minimum, solid, 24 gauge or larger, twisted pairs that comply with the 
electrical specifications for Category 3, as defined in the ANSI EIA/TIA 
Building Wiring Standards.
    (2) Conductors shall have insulation with a 1500 Volt rms minimum 
breakdown rating. This rating shall be established by covering the 
jacket or sheath with at least 15 cm (6 inches) (measured linearly on 
the cable) of conductive foil, and establishing a potential difference 
between the foil and all of the individual conductors connected 
together, such potential difference gradually increased over a 30 second 
time period to 1500 Volts rms, 60 Hertz, then applied continuously for 
one minute. At no time during this 90 second time interval shall the 
current between these points exceed 10 milliamperes peak.
    (3) All wire and connectors meeting the requirements set forth in 
paragraphs (c)(1) and (c)(2) shall be marked, in a manner visible to the 
consumer, with the symbol ``CAT 3'' or a symbol consisting of a ``C'' 
with a ``3'' contained within the ``C'' character, at intervals not to 
exceed one foot (12 inches) along the length of the wire.
    (d) Attestation. Manufacturers (or distributors or retailers, 
whichever name appears on the packaging) of non-system telephone 
premises wire shall attest in a letter to the Commission that the wire 
conforms with part 68, FCC Rules.

[49 FR 21734, May 23, 1984, as amended at 50 FR 29392, July 19, 1985; 50 
FR 47548, Nov. 19, 1985; 51 FR 944, Jan. 9, 1986; 55 FR 28630, July 12, 
1990; 58 FR 44907, Aug. 25, 1993; 62 FR 36464, July 8, 1997; 65 FR 4140, 
Jan. 26, 2000; 66 FR 7583, Jan. 24, 2001]